The leaders of France, Germany, Italy and Romania met the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, today, Thursday, June 16, 2022, in Kyiv to affirm their support, in what Macron says is ‘an important moment’.

This visit comes amid pleas from Zelenskyy for arms to fend off Russia, and ahead of EU discussions on Ukraine’s membership bid.

In the first such visit to the capital since Russia unleashed its invasion, France’s Emmanuel Macron, Germany’s Olaf Scholz, Italy’s Mario Draghi and Romania’s Klaus Iohannis, shook hands with Zelenskyy, who has not left Ukraine since the war began.

The meeting came after the four European leaders had walked around ruined buildings and wrecked cars in the nearby town of Irpin, the scene of heavy fighting early in the invasion.